Boat construction



Dec. 1 7, 1957 `.1. F. FOSTER BOAT CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 12, 1954 te, fx1.) il

United States Patent O BAT CONSTRUCTION Joseph F. Foster, Portsmouth, Ohio Application November 12, 1954, Serial No. 468,258

1 Claim. (Cl. 9-6) This invention relates to a novel boat construction which utilizes resin impregnated sheets of liber glass or the like as the basic structural material.

The primary object of the present invention resides in the utilization of corrosion resistant, durable, and comparatively strong materials to form the hull, keel, and ribs of -a boat and whereby a boat having a seamless skin and having individual air cells forming otation chambers are provided in the hull.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a highly buoyant hull construction having individual air cells extending therethrough, which air cells are sealed from communication with each other.

Still further objects and features of this invention are incorporated in this boat construction so as to form a boat of desired configuration wherein the outer skin is very smooth thus reducing friction, and by use of which a boat can be relatively inexpensively constructed.

These together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this boat construction, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a boat constructed in accordance with the concepts of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view as taken along the plane of line 2 2 of Figure l and being shown in an enlarged scale for greater clarity; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view as taken along the plane of line 3-3 of Figure l.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral generally designates a boat constructed in accordance with the concepts of the present invention having a hull 12 formed of an outer skin 14 and an inner shell 16 each of which are constructed from a sheet of resin impregnated ber glass. An inner corrugated ller sheet 18 of the same material as the outer skin 14 and the inner shell 16 is positioned between the outer skin 14 and the inner shell 16 and is bonded thereto by a suitable cement or solvent so as to form dead air spaces as at 20 and 22 between the outer skin 14 and inner shell 16.

The stern transom 24 of the boat 10 may be integrally ice formed with the other portions of the hull 12 and has a cutout portion as at 26 for reception of an outboard motor or the like.

A keel 28 can be separately molded and then bonded to the skin 14 by any suitable means. Likewise, individual ribs which extend transversely for reinforcing the hull may be provided as at 28 and are molded and then bonded to the inner shell 16 of the hull 12. Seats as at 30 may be integrally formed of upper and lower sheets 32 and 34 having a ller 36 therebetween and of similar material to the hull 12. These seats may then be bonded to the inner skin 16 at any suitable point.

When the hull is being formed, in order to maintain the desired shape of the boat, at the guuwale 38 of the boat, a strip of wood as at 40 or of other suitable material may be utilized and be positioned between the outer shell 14 and inner skin 16.

Itis to be recognized by the use of the individual sheets 14 and 16 for the outer skin and inner shell of the boat 10, a seamless vessel will be obtained. Further, the individual air cells 20 and 22 make the hull 12 buoyant in itselt` and thus render the vessel less sinkable.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A boat construction comprising an outer skin of resin impregnated fiber glass, an inner shell of resin impregnated ber glass, and a corrugated filler bonded to said inner shell and said outer skin forming closed air spaces between said inner shell and outer skin while holding said inner shell and outer skin in spaced relationship, and a frame between said inner shell and said outer skin, said corrugated ller engaging and supporting said frame at the upper portions of said inner shell and outer skin, a keel bonded to said outer skin and transverse ribs bonded to said inner shell.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,237,174 Cook Aug. 14, 1917 1,885,198 Hale Nov. l, 1932 2,381,631 Waring Aug. 7, 1945 2,417,586 Crosley Mar. 18, 1947 2,639,248 Overholt May 19, 1953 2,737,227 Brummel Mar. 6, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 577,790 Great Britain May 31, 1946 OTHER REFERENCES Modern Plastics, May 1946, pages 127-129. 

